Yourlawyer.com (Construction Accidents New York News)

Investigation Continues into East River Crane Collapse

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

City officials in New York continued their investigation this week into a crane collapse at a construction site on Jan. 9.

Seven workers were injured and several were trapped beneath the collapsed crane following the incident. None of the construction workers involved in the collapse sustained life-threatening injuries and all are recovering.

The investigation into how the crane collapse occurred however, continued this week, according to a report from The Queens Chronicle. The construction site was being prepared for an apartment complex in the Hunters Point region of the city, known as the TF Cornerstone project, located near the East River waterfront.

Work was in its preliminary stages at the time of the incident. Scaffolding was only constructed around the first flood of the building and the crane was able to cut through all that work and what had been constructed of the building.

At the time of the collapse, workers recalled hearing a cable snap and many began to flee the scene. Instead of just the cable snapping, the entire crane began to collapse. Early results of the investigation indicate that at the time of the collapse the crane was attempting to lift a load that weighed twice the capacity it was able to lift and that likely resulted in it collapsing.

According to New York Building Commissioner Robert LiMandri, the crane operator was attempting to lift a load outside of the designated loading zone. That being the case, he was unable to see exactly what he was lifting and was unaware of how heavy that particular load was. The crane operator’s license, a Hoist Machine Operator Class B license, has been suspended in the days since the collapse.

The crane was being subcontracted from New York Crane by Cross Country Construction. New York Crane, according to previous reports, has a checkered safety history and the company’s owner was indicted on manslaughter charges in 2008 following the deaths of two construction workers in the city. He was later acquitted on those charges.

In other reports since that and other crane collapses in the city, questions about the safety of construction sites around New York City have been raised by local politicians and safety advocates. That inquiry has found that city-conducted inspections at construction sites has dropped dramatically in recent years.

Instead, the city is relying on contractors to “self-police” their job sites to ensure that workers’ safety is being accounted for but that has only led to a rise in job site accidents and injuries.

Construction Workers Injured in Queens Crain Collapse

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

A crane at a construction site near New York’s East River waterfront caused seven people to suffer injuries.

Three injured in the collapse were extricated from beneath the crane after the crane had collapsed. The incident was reported at about 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The crane was needed at the construction site. A new residential complex is slated to be built but was only in the initial stages.

Witnesses of the crane collapse said they heard a snap and then workers began screaming as the crane came down on top of them.

The most serious injuries, according to an Associated Press report on Wednesday, were suffered by people trapped beneath the collapsed crane. Some workers suffered broken bones. No injuries were life-threatening and no special equipment was needed to remove those trapped beneath the crane.

Construction workers had only managed to build a wood and metal skeleton of scaffold around the structure’s first floor. That all came crashing down when the crane cut through it.

The crane was only lifted to its previous site over the weekend. According to the AP report, the crane collapse was at the “site of a project for a 25-story apartment building under contract by TF Cornerstone, a residential and commercial real estate developer and property management company. The company said it was working with authorities to help determine what caused the crash.”

The crane in this latest incident was leased by a subcontractor at the construction site from the company, New York Crane and Equipment Corp. This is the same company that owned cranes involved in two crane collapses in 2008 in New York City, incidents which claimed nine lives, AP reports. The source also reports that one person was killed in April when a crane collapsed at the construction site of a new subway line.

This incident is only the latest crane collapse reported recently in New York City. During the recent Hurricane Sandy landfall, several foreign tourists were stranded in the country for a week as that crane sat dangling over city streets for several days before it could be safely lowered to the ground.

Jordan L. Chaikin, Partner with Parker Waichman LLP, Appointed to Homeowner Plaintiffs Steering Committee in the MI Windows and Doors, Inc. Products Liability Litigation

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The national law firm of Parker Waichman LLP is pleased to announce that Jordan L. Chaikin, a partner with the firm, has been appointed to the Homeowner Plaintiffs' Steering Committee (HPSC) for In Re: MI Windows and Doors, Inc. Products Liability Litigation (MDL 2333), currently underway in U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina. Mr. Chaikin was appointed to the HPSC by the Honorable David C. Norton in a Case Management Order date September 10, 2012.

All of the lawsuits currently pending in the MI Windows and Doors, Inc. Products Liability Litigation involve allegations that various windows manufactured by the company contain one or more defects that result in the loss of seal at the bead along the bottom of the glass, allowing water to enter the inside of the window and leak into structures owned by Plaintiffs and putative class members. The MI Windows and Doors, Inc. Products Liability Litigation was created by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation via a Transfer Order dated April 23, 2012. According to Judge Norton's September 10 Case Management Order, the HPSC will consult with the Homeowner Plaintiffs' Lead Counsel to coordinate the Plaintiffs' pre-trail activities and in planning for trial.

Mr. Chaikin's practice areas include Mass Torts, Toxic Torts, Defective Drug Liability, Defective Medical Devices, Products Liability, Class Actions, Complex Litigation and General Personal Injury and Negligence Litigation. He is also serving on the Plaintiffs Steering Committee in Dial Complete Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation MDL (No. 2263), currently underway in U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire.

Parker Waichman LLP continues to offer free lawsuit consultations to consumers who purchased windows manufactured by MI Windows and Doors, Inc. For more information, please visit the firm's MI Windows and Doors page at yourlawyer.com. Free case evaluations are also available by calling 1 800 LAW INFO (1-800-529-4636).

Contact:
Parker Waichman LLP
Gary Falkowitz, Managing Attorney
(800) LAW-INFO
(800) 529-4636
http://www.yourlawyer.com

New York Construction Accident Lawyers

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

New York Construction Accident Lawyers

Welcome to Parker Waichman LLP, You've Come to the Right Place!

Have you been injured in a New York construction accident? In just a moment, negligence or faulty equipment at a construction site can cause injuries that lead to life-long disability, disfigurement and even death. You may be facing years of medical care, additional medical bills, and lost wages thanks to negligence on a construction site. Families who've lost a loved one in a construction accident are forced to cope with funeral expenses along with their grief. No one deserves to suffer this way, and those responsible for your construction accident must be held accountable for their negligence. You can rest assured that the New York construction accident lawyers at Parker Waichman LLP will fight tirelessly on your behalf to make sure you receive all of the compensation the law allows for your injury.

Having an Experienced Construction Accident Attorney makes a Huge Difference,
not only in Higher Settlements, but in Protecting Your Rights.

The New York personal injury lawyers at Parker Waichman LLP have helped thousands of people recover after negligent accidents. We represent people injured in all manner of construction accidents, including those involving:

Scaffolding and ladder accidents
Falls from elevated heights
Forklift injuries
Electrocution
Machinery accidents
Injuries from falling objects
Crane accidents

Why Parker Waichman LLP?

Top reported Personal Injury Verdicts and Settlements in New York State.
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Experienced Construction Accident Trial Attorneys Working for You.
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Our New York construction accident lawyers can help you receive workers' compensation benefits, as well as compensation for pain and suffering, future wage loss, and medical expenses. While New York state law does not allow construction workers to sue their employees for injuries suffered on the job, you can seek compensation from other responsible parties, including contractors, architects, manufacturers and property owners. The New York construction accident lawyers at Parker Waichman LLP will conduct a thorough investigation of your accident, and identify all parties responsible for your injuries in order to ensure you receive the maximum compensation possible. Parker Waichman LLP also boasts some of New York’s toughest and most experienced litigators, so we'll be ready if we have to take your construction accident lawsuit to trial should a fair settlement be impossible.

If you've been injured in a construction accident, it's important that you contact the New York personal injury lawyers at Parker Waichman LLP as soon as possible, as the state's strict statute of limitations could put your case in jeopardy before you receive the compensation you deserve. Our phone lines are staffed 24 hours, 7 days per week, and our firm offers free, no obligation lawsuit evaluations to victims of New York construction accidents. Simply fill out our online form, or call 1 800 LAW INFO (1-800-529-4636) to get in touch with one of our experienced New York construction accident lawyers today.